Country House Montali is the perfect antidote for those travelers looking for an Umbrian retreat where they can learn to cook gourmet vegetarian cuisine. Here, owners Alberto and Malu Masacchio lead hands-on cooking lessons featuring vegetarian Italian dishes. Their love of vegetarian cuisine goes back 20 years, when they opened their first vegetarian restaurant. Today they share their passion with students, teaching them how to prepare Mediterranean dishes with subtle hints of nouvelle and haute cuisine. In fact, the cooking school has been featured on BBC.

With gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside and acres of olive groves, there couldn't be a more idyllic spot to relax and enjoy the Italian countryside. Montali is off the beaten track between Perugia and Lake Trasimeno…quiet and private, yet close enough to be able to explore nearby towns such as Orvieto, Todi, Spello and Assisi. Its ten guest rooms are comfortably decorated and feature modern comforts. All have separate entrances with patios or verandahs where you can enjoy cool evening breezes and magnificent sunsets.

Day One

Group transfer from the Rome airport or Chiusi train station. Tonight enjoy a welcome cocktail as you watch the sun set behind the Umbrian hills. Afterwards sit down to a gourmet dinner featuring vegetarian specialties

Day Two

After breakfast visit the towns of Orvieto and Todi. Lunch will be in a typical restaurant. Return to Montali for a late afternoon cooking lesson. Some of the vegetarian specialties you might prepare include aubergine mélange, served on a beet root sauce coolie; ravioli with a potato and spinach flavored pastry stuffed with two kinds of mushrooms and served with a juniper sauce, and Charlotte dell'Abate. A dinner composed of the dishes you have prepared follows the lesson.

Day Three

This morning you'll go on an unforgettable visit to the Castelluccio di Norcia area. This is a national park and one of the most beautiful spots in the region. Castelluccio is famous too for its lentils, considered to be the best in the world. In Norcia, enjoy lunch in a local restaurant then stop to stock up on local truffles.

Return to Montali for dinner.

Day Four

This morning you'll go to the market at Castiglion del Lago then on to Panicale, a tiny and lovely medieval village famous for the fresco of Il Perugino. Lunch in a nice restaurant.

In the late afternoon you'll have the second cooking lesson of the week followed by dinner.

Day Five

Today your excursion takes you to Spello, the holy mountain of Subasio, and finally the famous town of Assisi. Lunch will be in Assisi.

Return to Montali for an afternoon cooking lesson followed by dinner.

Day Six

Morning visit to Gubbio, famous for ceramics. Then take the funicular to the top of Saint Ubaldo Abbey where you can see most of Umbria. After lunch return to Montali for your final cooking lesson followed by a farewell dinner.

Day Seven

After breakfast, group transfer to the Rome airport or Chiusi train station.